Main opposition party raided over ex-first lady Kim's bribery allegations in connection to Unification Church

Members of the press are seen at the People Power Party's headquarters which special prosecutors raided in Seoul, Wednesday. Yonhap

A special counsel team on Wednesday raided the headquarters of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), as it widened a probe into bribery allegations surrounding former first lady Kim Keon Hee in connection to Unification Church.

The team led by special counsel Min Joong-ki was carrying out a search and seizure warrant against the PPP's headquarters in western Seoul as part of its widening probe into corruption allegations surrounding the former first lady Kim, who was arrested on various charges, including corruption and stock manipulation.

Min's team is looking into allegations that Jeon Seong-bae, a shaman associated with Kim, and a key Unification Church official, surnamed Yoon, tried to get the church's members to join the PPP to interfere in its leadership race in 2023 in favor of Rep. Kweon Seong-dong.

Jeon and the church official allegedly exchanged texts about then President Yoon Suk Yeol's support for Kweon.

The team has also determined that the church official expressed his support for Yoon during the 2022 presidential election to Kweon and others close to Yoon. In return, the official reportedly sought the government's support for the Unification Church.

The church official, who was arrested late last month, has reportedly told special prosecutors that he had handed funds to Kweon and others since 2021. Min's team raided Kweon's residence and offices last month to secure evidence.

Kweon has denied receiving any political funds from the Unification Church, which has also denied making illegal donations to any specific individual.

The team is also separately investing allegations that Kim and her husband received free opinion polls from self-proclaimed power broker Myung Tae-kyun ahead of the 2022 presidential election in exchange for securing the nomination of former PPP Rep. Kim Young-sun for a parliamentary by-election later that year.